Eden District a disaster area
2009-11-12 09:35
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George - At least three towns in the Southern Cape have been declared disaster areas due to the drought.
George Killian, acting head of national disaster management in Pretoria, announced on Wednesday that the Eden district municipality, which includes George, Mossel Bay and Knysna, had been declared a disaster area.
Interest groups in the southern Cape welcomed the move on Wednesday afternoon.
Anton Bredell, the Western Cape minister of local government, environmental affairs and development planning, said through his spokesperson Heini Odendaal that R53m, which had recently been allocated by the National Treasury, could now be spent.
The province would also make experts available to help. Details would be worked out over the next few days.
Dry weather predicted
According to Killian, the decision was taken after he studied the extent of the drought in the towns. The decision meant that extra steps could now be put in place.
Eden mayor Leon Dorfling said it would mean a lot to the region. It would shorten the process of finding money for emergency projects.
The move was unavoidable. Indications are at that an extremely dry and windy period awaits the region.
"We can't sit back and wait. If the water runs out, we sit with an enormous crisis," he said.
Dorfling said visitors were still welcome and the holiday season would be the same as usual, but visitors would be asked to be bear the water situation in mind.
George mayor Flip de Swart said there were advantages. It would now be possible to get financial help and to act faster.
It would also be easier to adjust tariffs to finance projects to relieve the water crisis.
Advantages
It could send a negative message to visitors, but the advantages were more than the disadvantages.
He also announced that he had been in conversation with Bredell about the water situation in George.
Bredell assured him that he was keeping a close watch on the situation. If necessary, he would take the appropriate steps.
Mossel Bay mayor Marie Ferreira said the town was very grateful and would now at least get financial support.
It came at the right time and there would be enough time to put emergency measures in place. Holidaymakers would visit the region and it would put great pressure on water resources.
But visitors were still welcome to visit the town, Ferreira added.